Lake Seminole Late February

Question
Jack,  if you were going to fish Seminole during the last few days in February and did not know the lake very well.  Where would you start and how would you fish.

Thanks, Capt

Answer
Capt. Ray; I am hoping that I will be able to do just what you say and here is what I would do.

I would launch at Reynolds' landing and start fishing just where the drowned trees begin on the boat trail heading out of the landing.  I would put my boat into the trees on the right side of the channel headed out and begin with a white on white spinnerbait on one rod, a 5 inch shad soft plastic swim bait on another and  a 8-10 inch worm Texas rigged with a 1/8oz bullet weight..  Working back into the trees in a zig-zag course toward the main boat channel coming up from Rattlesnake Point.  I would use the spinnerbait and the swimbait alternately casting past the largest stumps.  When I came upon a particularly large diameter stump I would pick up the worm rod and try to hit the large stump right at the waterline and then let the worm sink on a completely slack line so the worm sinks straight down the tree trunk. Watch the line carefully for a jump or movement to a side as the worm falls.  If the worm makes it to the bottom as close to the stump as possible let it lie for a few seconds then shake it.  If no bite after a couple of shakes look for another stump.

At this time of year the fish often bunch up in these trees but you have to find them.  Watch your sonar as you work the area look for any change in the bottom or of the depth.  It probably will not be a large change in depth but often the fish notice the difference.  Don't give up too soon.  I have caught many good bass in this area all the way from the boat trail coming out of Reynolds' landing to the west shore.  The area along the main boat trail to the north shore is all good.  All of the above is based on the idea that we do not have a really early spring. The fish should still be staging rather than spawning if it is not too warm.  If it has been warm for several days try looking for places where the fish should be spawning and try the first break out from the spawning flats using crankbaits, swimbaits or spinnerbaits.  You may want to look for spawning bass in the area behind the island just opposite the junction of the boat trail coming up from Rattlesnake Point and the trail leading to the north end of Sealies Island.

Another place that I will certainly fish is the loop made by the creek channel just where the boat trail coming out of the channel leading across to the Flint River just across Wingates' marina.  To locate this area look for a single red marked piling with no green one nearby.  Just north of this piling is a set of pilings red and green. The creek makes a sort of double loop here. (You will need a map of the lake anyway) so look for these waypoints. Fish the western side of the channel and the loop.  I have caught some really nice fish here.  Next just  south of the two pilings mentioned above is a small clump of stumps.  Sometimes this holds some fish.  This clump of stumps marks the north side of the creek channel. (do not confuse the creek channels with the boat trails, they are not the same).  Stumps on the south side run in an east-west direction and often hold good bass. The left (north) side of the creek has never produced for me.  As you  fish toward the east you should see a small clump of sticks on the left.  One of the sticks is nearly horizontal and points to the south and also points to an opening in the stumps. This is the mouth of a slough or small creek before the lake was formed.  The stumps on both sides of this mouth have produced many fish for me.  The slough runs about 200-300 yards to the southeast, averages 18 feet deep while the water in the stumps is about 12-15 feet.  Fish this slough and the stumps on both sides.  Worms in warmer water spinnerbaits in cooler.  I haven't tried a swimbait here yet.  When you go in or come back out of the slough your sounder should show the deepest spot in this part of the lake 25-26feet.  As you come back out of the mouth turn right and fish the channel edge and back in the stumps.  The creek makes a hard left turn leading to a set of pilings where the boat trail cuts through the stumps. Around these pilings is often good as are the stumps on the now northwest creek channel headed directly toward the point of land with the big new dock.  The area out from this dock has been one of the most productive spots on the lake if the bass are staging before spawning.  I got a limit of bass every evening for nearly two weeks and the smallest single fish was three pounds.  I released most of them by the way.  The docks along this shoreline are often very good as are the stumps out from the docks.  This is often an excellent topwater lure area early and late and low light.

I could go on but if you fish these areas I believe you will have a good chance of catching some fish and maybe a lunker.  There are, of course, many other good places to fish on this lake but most of my fishing has been here in the Spring creek basin.

I hope this has been of some help.  Probably any area with stumps could be fished in this way but since I live on Spring Creek arm I mostly fish here. When you get here you might give me a call and if I can go I might go with you and show you these and other places.  My phone number is 229-861-2366. I live at 8043 Spring Creek Drive right on the lake.  Also I apologize for taking so long to answer.  I have been out of town for several days. I recently was diagnosed with prostate cancer and I have been getting radiation treatments.

Jack L. Gaither            (JackfromSeminole)
Lake Seminole, Georgia